Founded as the College of Aeronautics after the Second World War on the site of RAF Cranfield in 1946. Achieved university status in 1969 and renamed Cranfield University in 1993. The University now offers a wide range of learning opportunities including education and research. Degree courses and extensive professional development training programmes. They specialise in aerospace; automotive; defence and security; energy; environment; health, wellbeing , nutrition and food chain management; management; and manufacturing.

It offers mature atmosphere and a focused learning environment for ambitious individuals. It is the only UK university with its own airfield and sewerage plant, both based at the Cranfield campus.

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Teaching

A postgraduate-only university offering full and part time MSc, MBA and PhDs. About 4,000 students, of whom just over 2,200 are full-time and the rest part-time. Offers an opportunity for students from the Milton Keynes area to mix with other students from over 100 different countries, including many non-EU countries.
Cranfield is one of the most research-intensive and business engaged universities in the country - many students do research for top companies while at Cranfield and go on to employment with them. Cranfield also has an excellent student to staff ratio.

To do a degree at Cranfield MBA students need to have spent at least three years in industry. Other applicants require a first or second-class honours degree. Acommodation for students at Cranfield is provided in its own ‘village’, comprising halls of residence, and family houses.

Professional development

Cranfield offers an extensive professional development short course programme with courses to suit everyone from small entrepreuneurial businesses to large corporate organisations. These are attended by over 20,000 delegates each year. There are also several events open to the public and business people such as the annual Venture Day for SMEs and business breakfasts for local businesses, as well as lectures and talks. Short term or overnight accommodation for professional development courses is available in two hotels based on the campus.

Technology Park

A fully equipped business park is located at the Cranfield Campus with varying types of premises, from CUBIC (Cranfield University Business Incubation Centre) for start-ups, through single offices in the Innovation Centre to stand alone business premises occupied by operating companies. All of these benefit from being based in a knowledge based environment with access to academic staff and expertise, specialist facilities and conferencing options.

Conference Centres

Cranfield has impressive conference and accommodation facilities which are open to the public. From small meetings to weddings or celebrations, Cranfield has a wide range of facilities available. Click here for more information.

Transport links

Cranfield campus is close to Milton Keynes and Bedford. It is close to rail and bus links and has easy road access.

Interesting information

Professor Sir Peter Gregson has been the Chief Executive and Vice-Chancellor of Cranfield University since August 2013. Educated at Imperial College London, he was awarded a Knighthood for Services to Higher Education in 2011.

Some outstanding alumni:
John Fozard, who designed the Harrier jump jet; Alan Brown, designer of the Stealth Fighter, Antony Jenkins, Group Chief Exec of Barclays; Charlie Mayfield, Chairman of John Lewis.

Green credentials
Cranfield has set itself a challenging target of reducing its carbon footprint by 50% by 2020, which is the most ambitious target in the UK university sector. As part of working towards this, several sections of the Cranfield campus have already achieved the ISO14001 accreditation and is working to gaining this campus-wide by 2014. As well as reducing their own carbon emissions, they help other organisations reduce their own carbon footprints via their project and research recommendations, and have called this ‘The Cranfield Carbon Brainprint’